Exactly, if you get on really well with the customer you are less likely to get any grief as well, as some punters look for faults that are not there.

I find that lots of the "old timers" are not appreciating the fact that some of the "newbies" seem to be getting lots of work while they sit moaning in the pub at 1.30 after doing half a shift and deciding to let another potential customer down while they enjoy a few more beers......... times are chjanging, tradesmen now have to be on time every time, true to the customer and RELIABLE. It doesnt matter how good a tiler is, if he/she turns up stinking of ale with a "couldnt give a hoot" attitude then im affraid they will find themselves sitting in the pub a whole lot more.


Jabba

Originally Posted by jabba

I find that lots of the "old timers" are not appreciating the fact that some of the "newbies" seem to be getting lots of work while they sit moaning in the pub at 1.30 after doing half a shift and deciding to let another potential customer down while they enjoy a few more beers......... times are chjanging, tradesmen now have to be on time every time, true to the customer and RELIABLE. It doesnt matter how good a tiler is, if he/she turns up stinking of ale with a "couldnt give a hoot" attitude then im affraid they will find themselves sitting in the pub a whole lot more.


Jabba

Couldn't agree more. It still amazes me when people thank me for turning up on time and doing as I said I would. As far as I'm concerned that is the least they deserve and I would expect to be b%&*$ed for not turning up rather than thanked for just being on time.

This is a great thread for us newbies.

All comments here are spot on, my time at the minute is mainly marketing. I go into the tile shops even when I dint need anything, chat to the guys and gals behind the counter. Now they know me they aklways have a chat and a bit banter. Get to know them, they will not give your cards out straight away but start taking your customers to their shops.

Everytime your out socially and you meet someone who is a tradesman give them somne cards, with a scratch my back and i'll scratch yours. One of my drinking mates builds conservatories (guess who his tiler is), thats what we need to do.

On the personality side - you have to have one. Ive been out on 4 quotes so far and got every one in the bag, 3 done already, the 4th starting on monday. Ive had a sales background so it helps but thats what you have to do sell yourself.

My second job (couldnt believe it at first) left me alone in her flat allday, do your job, keep it clean and chat to them when you arrive. Spend 10 minutes doing that. She actually said yto me 'it makes such a difference having someone in that is so easy to get on with. She was fit too but had to control myself as her boyfriend has 3 other rooms for me to tile lol, which are now also in the bag. Happy days

An old northern saying - Shy bairns get Nowt

I am new to the forum and the last thing I want to do is come across as arrogant.I have been tiling now for nearly 30 years and I have never advertised.It did take a little while to get established but certainly less than a year.Yes I did 7 day weeks and bank holidays to start with.I had to as we had 5 children to bring up.However I have five months to go before I retire (officially) and am now in a position to work just 2 or 3 days a week if I want and still earn a good living.Mortgage is paid so one thing less worry.Money has been secondary to me and it is far more important that the client is a hundred per cent happy with the work.It is also important that I am one hundred per cent happy with the work.Attention to detail is a must.Don't skimp on anything.Use the best materials for the situation whatever they cost.Don't haggle.You should have a price for your standard of work and you should stick to it.If I put a price in for a job and don't get it I will be working for someone else.Be pleasant with people.Most of my work is private/domestic and I only ever work on a day rate plus materials.Hope this is helpful.Remember lads (or lasses)you only get out of life what you put in.
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Jabba~~~~ just noticed what you said about old timers.Well I'm 65 next bithday,I am up at 6.30 every morning and start work at 8.I hardly drink anyway.I don't have the breaks during the day that most people do( I usually stop long enough to have a bite to eat) and I pack up about 4.30.If I am going to be late for some reason or can't turn up I phone the customer and let them know.I don't know where this attitude to old timers has come from but the most problematic tradesmen in my area are usually younger.Being realistic I suppose there's good and bad in all walks of life but I did resent you targeting us older tradesmen.And I'll tell you now,I can keep up with most youngsters.As I said before,I admit that I don't actually have to work every day if I don't want to but I do more often than not.

Hi Webby, as you say there are good and bad in all trades and obviously you don,t fall into the catagory i was refering to...... well done!!!!

Good thread.
A lot of people do get roped into training courses on the belief that they will earn £50,000 per year. I recently contacted a company that were advertising plumbing courses through distance learning. The course cost approx £4,000, when I queried the cost he replied that doctors leave college with debts of £15,000 and they won’t earn £50,000 a year and why wouldn’t I book on the course and did I still want to be in a dead end job in 12 months – total hard sell. (Just to let you know I am from Construction Skills College in Stoke, I told this company though that I worked in a factory and was depressed with my job so that I could find out what they were all about).

Customer service is very important and it can be the little things that make a big difference, for example, if you went to price a job wearing jeans and a top or you went to price a job wearing work trousers and a top with your business name printed on the difference in the customer’s eyes is massive. Their first impression of your professionalism is key, and the cost of a couple of tops is very low.

And the basics – be on time, be friendly, be confident, be tidy – when you have finished a job a customer does not want to have to clean up after you. AND don’t forget to take photos of your work and build up a portfolio.

Did you know that organisations such as business initiatives and business link occasionally run courses on working for yourself covering areas such as marketing, book keeping, etc? These courses are free and in Stoke you can attend either during the day or evenings.

totaly agree with all the boys no free rides in the tiling game

I have quit my job and am currently looking at doing a Tiling training course.
This is exactly the post I needed to read to reassure me that I am making the right decision in what I am doing.
MARKETING, SALES, YOU, END PRODUCT are all the things that I have always concerntrated on as an Ex Salesman.

Thanks...

I have been self employed doing various handyman jobs for around 4 years now.

We also renovate and develop property so the customer focused business is part time.

That said, my only advert is with the local village newsletter.

I get most of my work via recommendations. I tend to keep my clients in the picture wrt progress and when I intend to be on site. I suppose I am quite chatty, which in some walks of life can be a disadvantage, but people like that in me (unless they are just being polite).

I did catch a small cold a while ago. I had so much repeat work from about 7 people that I neglected to grow my client base. Due to their personal curcumstances the work from a couple of major clients dried up and I was left with about a weeks worth of work.

Then other work appeard out of nowhere!

I know that I may not be the best that there is, but I do a reasonable job and people like having me in their house. I think that's what counts.

The other thing is honesty. One client who I was recommended to wants me to install a wet room. I have told him quite honestly that I have never installed a wet room before so we are researching it together.

Originally Posted by cornish_crofter

I have been self employed doing various handyman jobs for around 4 years now.

We also renovate and develop property so the customer focused business is part time.

That said, my only advert is with the local village newsletter.

I get most of my work via recommendations. I tend to keep my clients in the picture wrt progress and when I intend to be on site. I suppose I am quite chatty, which in some walks of life can be a disadvantage, but people like that in me (unless they are just being polite).

I did catch a small cold a while ago. I had so much repeat work from about 7 people that I neglected to grow my client base. Due to their personal curcumstances the work from a couple of major clients dried up and I was left with about a weeks worth of work.

Then other work appeard out of nowhere!

I know that I may not be the best that there is, but I do a reasonable job and people like having me in their house. I think that's what counts.

The other thing is honesty. One client who I was recommended to wants me to install a wet room. I have told him quite honestly that I have never installed a wet room before so we are researching it together.

Give Tony at wetdecs a call he knows his wet rooms

spot on darren after the course with you back in april i have worked on this side of the business getting confident with people selling myself and it has worked for me getting better as the weeks go on and can see a difference in my order book because of it! cheers-Ian -Tiling Solutions.

There is a key to success 2 on here as well somewhere, mayber dave can put it next to the first one, just gives you that bit extra push when reading it

Its not something you start off doing, it should just be a way of life, second nature to do it, thats when you will notice the difference in the earnings and bookings
Glad your doing well and the course worked for you
Regards
Darren

This is my first post but, I thought I could add a little to this having been a self employed plumber for years and coming into tiling to expand my work horizons. I like to think I got jobs out of quotes through being truefull, genuine and honest. I always try to come across as if nothing is too much trouble and tell the customer the things they want to hear without leading them on . The big thing is to apear confident even if you are not, there is a lot you can work out/research behind closed doors away from customers.